Actor Lionel Jeffries dies aged 83

Lionel Jeffries, whose credits include well-loved films such as The Railway Children and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, has died.

The Rada-trained star, who was associated with a number of children’s classics, was 83.

Lionel Jeffries has died aged 83

A spokeswoman for his agent, the Liz Hobbs Group, said on Friday: “We can confirm he did pass away this morning. It was following a long illness.”

Among his many achievements, Jeffries not only directed but scripted The Railway Children. His four other directing credits included The Amazing Mr Blunden, a version of The Water Babies and the Womble movie Wombling Free.

However his on-screen appearances were much more plentiful than his career behind the camera.

Jeffries clocked up roles in dozens of films when the British film industry was flourishing with movies such as First Men In The Moon, Camelot and his performance as Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

One of his longer fixtures was portraying Grandad in the children’s TV series Woof! in 1993.

Film director Michael Winner, whose work with Jeffries included A Chorus Of Disapproval, paid tribute.

He said: “I worked with him first in 1965. He’s the most marvellous man and he’s one of the greatest comic actors this country ever possessed. He had an extraordinary talent for eccentric comedy, often playing people who were nutty, who were on the edge of nutty, which basically plays to a lot of people including me. He had the most superb timing, he could make any line interesting and comedic.”

Liza Goddard, Jeffries’ co-star on children’s show Woof!, said: “He was a great character, very funny and I really enjoyed working with him on Woof!”